Project: DiVersions

Paul Otlet: An Omissum

Following from a discussion that took place in the framework of DiVersions in Pianofabriek in October 2019, participants in Algolit and Mondotheque have tried over the last few months to address a blindspot in the way Paul Otlet has been portrayed in general, but also in their very projects. Terms like ‘visionary’ or ‘pacifist’ portray Otlet as a charismatic, heroic figure, omitting to signal the fact that the figure as well as his oeuvre were committed to a colonial and racist project.

An ’omissum’ was therefore attached to digital and physical publications by these research groups. In addition they made an intervention in the English Wikipedia page on Paul Otlet. The Omissum can be commented upon via the Constant gitlab issuetracker.

Omissum @ Constant Gitlab: https://gitlab.constantvzw.org/diversions/paul-otlet-an-omissum
Intervention in Wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Paul_Otlet&diff=950711784&oldid=949099522&diffmode=source